Signs for OAK

Meaning: a large tree that has strong, hard wood and is common in northern countries.

Fingerspelling.

Deaf Culture and tidbits

Deaf/ASL Culture

One of my most favorite Gallaudet stories is the oak tree. There was an oak tree in the spot what today stands is the statue of Thomas H. Gallaudet (co-founder of the first deaf school in America) and Alice Cogswell (one of the first deaf students) in front of the Chapel Hall.

President Edward M. Gallaudet (1837-1917) hired Daniel C. French (1850-1931), who was the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial statue in Washington D.C., to sculpt a statue on the Gallaudet campus. Daniel made a condition that he got to choose the spot before he accepted the job. Incidentally, he chose the spot where the oak tree was. The oak tree was highly prized by Gallaudet students. After the president dealt with this wrestle of dilemma, miraculously one night, the lightning struck down the oak tree. Source: Gallaudet oral literature and printed source

Ad-free Patron: To remove ads or/and unlock premium content, subscribe today or learn more about the features.

~~ Feeling lucky? ¯\(°_o)/¯ Random word ~~

Search Tips and Pointers

Search/Filter: Enter a keyword in the filter/search box to see a list of available words with the "All" selection. Click on the page number if needed. Click on the blue link to look up the word. For best result, enter a partial word to see variations of the word.

Screenshot of dictionary search with notes
Screenshot of the search dictionary

Alphabetical letters: It's useful for 1) a single-letter word (such as A, B, etc.) and 2) very short words (e.g. "to", "he", etc.) to narrow down the words and pages in the list.

For best result, enter a short word in the search box, then select the alphetical letter (and page number if needed), and click on the blue link.

Screenshot of dictionary search with notes
Screenshot of the search dictionary

Don't forget to click "All" back when you search another word with a different initial letter.

If you cannot find (perhaps overlook) a word but you can still see a list of links, then keep looking until the links disappear! Sharpening your eye or maybe refine your alphabetical index skill. :)

Add a Word: This dictionary is not exhaustive; ASL signs are constantly added to the dictionary. If you don't find a word/sign, you can send your request (only if a single link doesn't show in the result).

Videos: The first video may be NOT the answer you're looking for. There are several signs for different meanings, contexts, and/or variations. Browsing all the way down to the next search box is highly recommended.

Video speed: Signing too fast in the videos? See HELP in the footer.

ASL has its own grammar and structure in sentences that works differently from English. For plurals, verb inflections, word order, etc., learn grammar in the "ASL Learn" section. For search in the dictionary, use the present-time verbs and base words. If you look for "said", look up the word "say". Likewise, if you look for an adjective word, try the noun or vice versa. E.g. The ASL signs for French and France are the same. If you look for a plural word, use a singular word.